Toys for Tiny Soldiers

Pfc. Troy Duprey, left, of White River Junction, Vt., hugs his fiance, Tiffany Knapp, as his mother, Gloria, wipes a tear before a deployment ceremony in Essex Junction, Vt., Friday, Jan. 8, 2010. Two hundred more Afghanistan-bound troops from the Vermont National Guard are shipping out. They are members of a special training unit of the 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team based in Rutland. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot) Original Filename: Afghanistan_Deployment_VTTT101.jpg

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo (KKCO)-- Military members risk their lives for us but don't make as much money as you think.

While we spend time with our loved ones over the holidays, they're away from their families, putting themselves in harm's way and conducting dangerous missions we'll never know about.

Now you can make a difference in the life of a military child.

For the fourth year in a row, the United States Army National Guard is giving you an opportunity to help military families who can't buy gifts for their kids. You can donate toys to the "Toys for Tiny Soldiers" program.

Volunteers were busy Wednesday wrapping toy collection boxes.

"Christmas is important to everybody, so people who are going through hard times and aren't able to provide their kids with food on the table, it's hard. So we're trying to take a little bit of burden off them by getting these toys to them," said Danielle Hindson, a specialist with the National Guard Family Assistance Program.

From now until Christmas, local businesses will have the toy collection boxes, where you can donate new toys.

Just before Christmas, military parents will be able to pick out gifts to give their kids from the collection of donated toys. Toys will be donated to all military families, including active duty, reserves, national guard, veterans and survivors of those who gave their lives for our freedom.

Last year, the program provided toys to more than 80 local military children. For more information, contact Danielle Hindson at (720) 250-5571, (970) 640-7846, or danielle.hindson@us.army.mil.

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